The International Cricket Council (ICC) has taken strict action against two United Arab Emirates (UAE) cricketers for fixing matches. The ICC’s Anti-Corruption Tribunal has banned UAE’s Amir Hayat and Ashfaq Ahmed for eight years each from all forms of cricket. Both these players have been found guilty of breaching the ICC Code of Conduct.
Both these cricketers were charged on 13 September 2020, and their punishment will be considered from that day. The allegations of fixing against them in the qualifying round of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2019 were proved. After this, both the players were temporarily suspended from the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB) in September last year. Hayat is a fast bowler, while Ahmed is a batsman.
Both the cricketers had taken around USD 4,083 (about Rs 3 lakh) from the Indian bookie. The bookie has been identified as Mr Y in the ICC’s charge sheet for fixing matches against the qualifying round.
Born in Lahore, Pakistan, Hayat has played nine ODIs and four T20Is for the UAE, taking 11 and six wickets. He played his last international match as T20 in February 2019. Also born in Lahore, Ahmed played 16 ODIs and 12 T20Is for UAE and scored 344 and 238 runs. Ahmed played his last match against UAE in October 2019.
The ICC hopes that the ban will serve as a warning to other players.ICC General Manager Alex Marshall said in a statement: “Two UAE players attended ICC anti-corruption education sessions and knew how to avoid engaging in any corrupt activity. They failed in these obligations. His long ban will serve as a warning to others.”
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